Trying to analyze Wilson's new boss and rework

[Trevindo]

Introduction:

In general, I'm always satisfied with the reworks and when I find something missing, Klei's developers are prototified to listen to us and improve what was done.

Wilson:

Personally I tried to analyze the intention of the developers with this rework and from what I saw, I would summarize the new Wilson as...
"the attempt to underscore the alchemist aspect of the Wilson through the new fabrications and give beginning players a sense of progression that reflects their character's real survival capabilities, customizable via a progression tree."
I can see that, but I think it fails both to anchor Wilson as an alchemist and fails to give the beginning player a sense of progression, but... Why do I say that?

Well... for that I need to reflect on: What is alchemy? Alchemy is not only translated into transformation or "equivalent exchange", but also into the rituals involved in this objective (What would Full Metal be without alchemy circles?). In general, what I mean by this is that the important thing is not only "what happens?", but also "how it happens?". Rituals are important within mystical practices, but what does Wilson do to make the new recipes? Survive in a world and use a normal science machine.

People, let's think of us who frequent this forum! We are gamers with a certain amount of games, but try to remember what in DST made you continue to want to play. I can't speak for all of you, but my answer would be: "I kept playing to progress as a survivor and understand about the world and its mysteries." So now I want you to think about what a beginner player really needs to feel like they're progressing in a world, as many times they're thrown into a map without any kind of instruction on what to do. I don't know if a day-based progression tree would be the answer to this...

Nightmare Werepig:

Klei: "How many surface bosses do you want?"
Me: "Yes."

For me the more the merrier, the only thing I don't understand is why tie the boss fight with exploring the caves? So... I understand they're trying to encourage people to make that pickaxe, but can't they just upgrade the item? Anyway, I think that if someone explores the ruins, they don't even have to kill the new boss for the falls, because the Tulecite equipment is better.

Finalization:

I commented the day before the update that I was betting that Wilson would remain a "neutral" character, but that his rework would make him a character focused on Story and beginner immersion strategies in the world of "Constant". At the time I mentioned that this would happen through what I called "Wilson's Diary", it didn't bother me that it was wrong because I thought that even if I was wrong the developers would be thinking of something even better... I'm sad, but thank you the developers for their work in continuing to update the game and I look forward to this year's roadmap.

[Mr Giggio]

I think the fact we need to grab pick/axe to do this boss, fun. The boss itself is easy after you practice it few times but in a gameplay unless u are able to do ruins first you cant do it so in rushs or regular gameplays we get a feeling of progression. This is also fun.

[minespatch]

I'm still mad that in Forge they gave Maxwell the alchemist title. It always seemed a perfect fit that Wilson is the alchemist archetype.

[Yuuko]

1 hour ago, Trevindo said:

Alchemy is not only translated into transformation or "equivalent exchange", but also into the rituals involved in this objective (What would Full Metal be without alchemy circles?).

Believe it or not Alchemy was a thing long before anime lol.  It wasn't arcane rituals, rather it was an attempt at molecular science.  One of the greatest claims was to turn lead into gold.  Alchemy isn't about "equivalent exchange," its about the discovery that at an atomic level everything breaks down into possibly interchangeable pieces.  Theoretically any substance can become any other substance with the right scientific formula.

[minespatch]

4 minutes ago, Shosuko said:

t Alchemy was a thing long before anime lol

That's what I meant in my comment. Makes me sad people think alchemy is a "magic" thing. It's one of the early sciences.

[Trevindo]

Good morning people, how are you?

9 hours ago, Mr Giggio said:

I think the fact we need to grab pick/axe to do this boss, fun. The boss itself is easy after you practice it few times but in a gameplay unless u are able to do ruins first you cant do it so in rushs or regular gameplays we get a feeling of progression. This is also fun.

The boss is easy and I'm glad you have fun with the progression system, but the problem I pointed out is with new players. They don't understand what ruins are or how to get there, so I talked about the need to immerse the new player in the game's story. In the end, this rework was thought more about us, "old" players than the new ones and that makes me sad.

 

8 hours ago, Shosuko said:

Believe it or not Alchemy was a thing long before anime lol.  It wasn't arcane rituals, rather it was an attempt at molecular science.  One of the greatest claims was to turn lead into gold.  Alchemy isn't about "equivalent exchange," its about the discovery that at an atomic level everything breaks down into possibly interchangeable pieces.  Theoretically any substance can become any other substance with the right scientific formula.

 

8 hours ago, minespatch said:

That's what I meant in my comment. Makes me sad people think alchemy is a "magic" thing. It's one of the early sciences.

I know lol, I gave the example of the anime more because of a reference. Alchemy is not considered a science but a pseudoscience that had as its goals the conversion of "inferior" metals into gold and the elixir of eternal life. At the end of the day Alchemy had many mystical aspects and was surrounded by pseudoscience practices, but what do I mean by rituals? Well... I'm not talking about Wilson making a circle on the floor and summoning a demon, what I'm saying is that the identity of alchemy is not only in how it happens, but also in how it happens. Wilson could very well have his own research machine to study the elements that make up the materials (a mini game would come in handy lol). An example of a game that managed to capture this feeling of progression with a mixture of "science" and mysticism was the minecraft game with the Thaumcraft mod.